Monza GP guide: a faster lap, qualifying, tyres and DRS
For a faster lap in Monza GP, brake in a straight line for the three chicanes, get on the throttle early to carry exit speed onto the long straights, and save ERS boost for the straights. Turn the braking assist to light or off once you know the braking points, and qualify on soft tyres.
What is Monza GP?
Monza GP is a free open-wheel racing game in the browser, set at the Monza circuit in Italy, known as the Temple of Speed. You fight through live knockout qualifying against 19 AI drivers, then race them with tyre wear, pit stops, DRS and ERS. There are three cameras (chase, top-down and a 3D cockpit), and it works with a keyboard, a gamepad or touch. All teams and drivers in the game are fictional, and it is not affiliated with Formula 1 or the circuit.
Why is Monza called the Temple of Speed?
Monza opened in 1922 in a royal park north of Milan and is one of the oldest permanent racing circuits in the world. Its layout is mostly long straights joined by chicanes and fast corners, so cars spend more of the lap at full throttle than almost anywhere else. Teams run their lowest-downforce wings there, and top speeds are among the highest of the season.
Controls
| Input | Action |
|---|---|
| W or ↑ | Throttle |
| S or ↓ | Brake (hold to reverse) |
| A D or ← → | Steer |
| Space | ERS boost |
| C | Change camera |
| H | Racing line on or off |
| B | Back to the garage (qualifying) |
| R | Recover the car |
| Gamepad | Left stick steers, RT throttle, LT brake, A boost |
A lap of Monza, corner by corner
- Variante del Rettifilo (turns 1 and 2). The hardest stop of the lap after the main straight. Brake early and in a straight line, take the first part slowly and focus on a clean exit. Most lost time here comes from braking too late and missing the second apex.
- Curva Biassono (turn 3). A long, fast right-hander taken flat. Stay smooth and use the whole road.
- Variante della Roggia (turns 4 and 5). A left-right chicane. Brake firmly, clip the inside kerb, and get back on the throttle as early as you can.
- Lesmo 1 and Lesmo 2 (turns 6 and 7). Two right-handers. Lesmo 1 is faster than it looks; Lesmo 2 is tighter and its exit leads onto the Serraglio straight, so prioritise exit speed.
- Serraglio and Variante Ascari (turns 8 to 10). A flat-out kink, then the fast left-right-left Ascari chicane. A good line here lets you carry real speed onto the back straight.
- Curva Alboreto, the Parabolica (turn 11). A long, opening right-hander onto the main straight. Brake once, turn in, and feed in the throttle as the corner opens. Exit speed here is worth more than anywhere else because the straight that follows is the longest on the track.
The rule for the whole lap: at Monza, exit speed onto a straight beats entry speed into a corner. Being slightly slow into a chicane and fast out of it is almost always quicker overall.
How knockout qualifying works
A race weekend starts with three qualifying sessions:
- Q1: all 20 cars. The slowest five are knocked out and start 16th to 20th.
- Q2: the 15 survivors. The slowest five start 11th to 15th.
- Q3: the top 10 fight for pole position.
In the garage you choose a tyre set and take an out-lap or a flying lap. A lap counts if you start it before the chequered flag. The AI teams set a banker lap early and go again on fresh softs at the end of each session, so expect the times to drop in the last minutes. Press B to go back to the garage between runs.
Tyres, ERS and DRS
- Tyres: softs are fastest but wear quickly; mediums last longer. In the race you must use both compounds, so plan at least one pit stop.
- ERS (Space): the electric motor adds power while you hold boost, and a full battery lasts about 8 seconds. Use it on the straights, not out of slow corners where you'd just spin the wheels.
- DRS: if you're within one second of the car ahead at a detection point, your rear wing opens in the next DRS zone for extra top speed. Monza has two DRS zones: the main straight and the Serraglio straight. DRS is available in races only, after the first couple of laps.
- Slipstream: following closely on a straight cuts your drag, a big help at Monza even without DRS.
Settings that make you faster
- Braking assist: "full" stops you overshooting corners but holds you to roughly the pace of a good AI driver. "Light" only steps in when you'd clearly overshoot. "Off" leaves it all to you and is the fastest once you know the braking points.
- Racing line (H): useful while learning. Turn it off once you know the track to watch the road instead.
- Track limits: on stricter settings, laps with all four wheels past the white line can be deleted or penalised.
Getting on the leaderboard
Log in (free, 18+) and your best lap goes on the weekly, monthly and all-time Fastest lap boards. Only laps driven entirely by you at real-time speed count: no time warp and no AI driving. After a session, press Share to send a friend a challenge link with your time to beat.
Free browser gameMonza GPKnockout qualifying, then race 19 AI cars at the Temple of Speed. DRS, ERS, tyre wear, pit stops and live commentary.▶ Play free
Frequently asked questions
Is Monza GP an official F1 game?
No. It's an unofficial game set at Monza with fictional teams, drivers and sponsors. It isn't connected to Formula 1, the FIA, any team or the circuit.
Can I play Monza GP on my phone?
Yes. Turn your phone sideways and use the on-screen pedals and steering. A keyboard or gamepad gives the most control.
What is the best tyre for qualifying?
Softs. They're the fastest over a single lap. Save a fresh set for your final run in each session, like the AI teams do.
How do I use DRS in Monza GP?
Get within one second of the car ahead at a detection point during a race. The wing then opens automatically on the straight in the following DRS zone.
